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Official government emblem of the U.S. state of Vermont
Great Seal of Vermont
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An older version of the seal used before Ira Allen's rendition was restored in 1937.
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Armiger
| State of Vermont
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Motto
| Freedom & Unity
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The
Great Seal of the State of Vermont
is the
official seal
of the
U.S. state
of
Vermont
, used to
emboss
and authenticate official documents. It was designed by
Ira Allen
, brother of
Ethan Allen
and one of the state's founders.
Great Seal
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]
The seal, depicts a 14-branched
pine
tree rising from the forest, with a
grain sheaf
above. The 14 branches symbolize the
Thirteen Colonies
and Vermont as the 14th state admitted to the union. A cow on the right, representing Vermont's history of
dairy farming
, also appears. On the top of the seal are wavy lines, possibly suggesting
clouds
; on the bottom wavy lines suggest water. It is believed that the two sets of wavy lines might also suggest the
Connecticut River
and
Lake Champlain
, Vermont's east and west borders. The passage
"Freedom & Unity"
—Vermont's
state motto
—is centered below the state name. The motto is central to the Vermont ideal of balancing
personal freedom
with the individual's responsibility to their community. The seal was first used by the government of the independent
Vermont Republic
as it existed prior to admission to the
Union
.
Intended for use to emboss official documents, the seal is not intended for decorative use, the single exception being a large version carved in hardwood and affixed to the Vermont Pavilion at the
Expo 67
World's Fair
. That seal was later used as a backdrop behind the podium in the
Vermont State House
Press Briefing Room, which is now the minority party's
caucus
room. The large wooden Great Seal of Vermont has been moved to the working offices of the
governor of Vermont
at
The Pavilion
.
A more naturalistic and colorful armorial representation of the elements of the seal can be seen in the
coat of arms of Vermont
, which is found on the
Vermont flag
. It is also used on
letterheads
and on signs marking state buildings, bridges, state's borders, and at Vermont welcome centers. By Vermont statute, the Great Seal of Vermont is the shared domain of the
Vermont Secretary of State
, the offices of the state governorship, and the legislative and judiciary branches of government. The original metal dies for the first seal of Vermont are stored at the Secretary of State's office at Redstone, a large red brick and sandstone
Queen Anne style
house at
Montpelier
.
Seals of the government of Vermont
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]
There are various seals of the state government. Most use the
coat of arms of Vermont
.
See also
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References
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Further reading
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]
- Allen, Ira.
The natural and political history of the State of Vermont, one of the United States of America.
First published 1798, facsimile edition published by Charles E. Tuttle Company.
ISBN
0-8048-0419-2
.
- Crampton, William.
Webster's Concise Encyclopedia of Flags and Coats of Arms.
Crescent Books" 1985.
ISBN
0-517-49951-7
.
- Zieber, Eugene,
Heraldry in America: The Civic Armorial Bearings of American States.
Greenwich House: 1969.
- Zieber, Eugene,
Heraldry in America: A Classic Surverry of Coats of Arms and Insignia.
Greenwich House: 1974.
ISBN
0-8383-0322-6
.
External links
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]